How to Stop a Kitten From Biting and Scratching During Play

Biting and scratching hands during play isn't a "bad personality" — it's a normal part of growing up: kittens practice their hunting skills on their littermates.

What to do

• Never play with your bare hands — use a wand toy or a toy on a string instead. That way the kitten learns from the start that hands aren't prey.
• If it bites, stop playing and walk away for a minute or two. Kittens quickly learn: biting = the fun stops.
• Offer an alternative — keep a soft toy nearby to redirect the bite onto, if the kitten has already latched onto your hand.
• Don't punish physically — it only scares the kitten and can make the aggression worse.
• Give that energy somewhere to go — two or three active 10-15 minute play sessions a day cut down on "excess" play aggression the rest of the time.

With the right approach, play biting is usually almost gone by 6–9 months.